Business and Money Tips

The Ice Cream Built on Unbroken Spirit: How 4 Demolitions Birthed a Global Empire In 1997, a rural boy named Zhang Hongchao stood on a dusty street corner in Zhengzhou, China, staring at a crude, rattling machine. He couldn't afford commercial equipment, so he had built this shaved-ice machine himself out of a scrap motor and old bicycle parts. His pockets were empty, save for a 3,000-yuan ($400 USD) loan—not from a bank or a venture capitalist, but from his grandmother, who had handed him her entire life savings. He named his tiny stall Cold Wave . What followed was a decade of brutal, relentless heartbreak. Hongchao’s first three stalls failed completely, starved of foot traffic.  Desperate to survive, he pivoted to farming livestock and selling street snacks, but every venture bled out his fragile capital. When he finally returned to cold drinks, a new nightmare began. Between 1999 and 2003, as the city underwent rapid modernization, the local government physically demol...

Mixue opened tens of thousands of outlets worldwide, surpassing McDonald’s in store count.  As of November 2025, it has over 53K outlets, way exceeding McDonald's 45K outlets.  Mixue Snow Ice City 蜜雪冰城 is a Hong Kong public-listed company, based in Zhengzhou, China. Its founder is Zhang Hongchao (48), the CEO is his brother Zhang Hongfu (45). Its financials shows that it is a profitable business. It operates on a franchise model with zero to low franchise fees, and zero percentage of sales. So, how does Mixue make money? Their primary revenue stream is selling supplies to their franchisees. A franchisee is contractually obligated to purchase nearly everything, including ingredients (syrups, tea bases, powders), cups, straws, and even equipment, directly from Mixue. This is a brilliant and highly effective model that aligns their success with the franchisee's success, as they profit from the volume of goods sold, not from the store's top-line sales. The 5 Lov...

Real Case Studies That Prove Love Intelligence Works 1. CHAGEE — Loyalty Built Through Heart-Led Consistency CHAGEE grew rapidly not because of tea, but because every outlet practised the same heart-led approach: warm greetings, consistency, and emotional safety. Customers return because they feel remembered . This is LQ in action: predictable care creates predictable loyalty. 2. MIXUE — The Power of Simple, Heartfelt Service MIXUE overtook global brands not through discounts, but through kindness and connection at the counter. Their young staff are trained not to follow scripts, but to create comfort. Even a $1 ice cream can carry $100 worth of warmth — that is Love Intelligence. 3. SAKIYA — Japanese Heart Service with Zero Tolerance for Coldness SAKIYA trains staff to deliver calm, sincere attention in every moment. Even when the queue is long, they maintain emotional presence. Customers sense this. Trust grows. Repeat visits multiply. This is LQ: emotional profession...

How Mixue and  Chagee Each Used Yijing in Their Own Way People often ask me why both Mixue and Chagee can grow so fast, yet their styles are completely different. The truth is, both brands follow the principles of Yijing , but they apply them in two very different ways. When you understand this, you see why they both succeed without needing to fight each other. Everything begins with Oneness . Mixue positions itself as part of everyday life, almost like the air people breathe. Affordable, accessible, always there. Chagee, on the other hand, positions itself as part of a personal ritual, something people enjoy, appreciate and even show off. One becomes daily life, the other becomes lifestyle. Both are One with their audience, but in different layers of human living. Then comes Yin and Yang . Mixue represents extreme Yin: simple, cool, friendly, low price, low barrier. Chagee represents rising Yang: premium, warm, beautiful, expressive. Yin attracts the masses, Yang attracts tho...

Mixue Success due to Yijing?    As of today (Nov 2025), in terms of store count, Mixue has 45,000 worldwide, exceeding 43,000 of McDonald's. Mixue is a public-listed company in Hong Kong (not listed in China).  It's financials shows that it is a profitable business with 12% net profit margin.   Yijing 6 Concepts that Mixue uses: 1. Oneness: Joy .  Their song, adapted from 'Oh Susana', gives people joy outside the store.  "I love you, you love me, Mixue Ice Cream and Tea" 2. Yin Yang balance : Keep prices low (yang) but consistent quality (yin) through tight control of the supply chain. Prices range from S$1.50 to S$3.50, whereas in China it is RMB2 to RMB10.  3. Bagua or 8 Trigrams: Qian Kun Kan Li Xun Zhen Gen Dui. Mixue has all the Bagua elements of leadership, easy-going, flexible, passion, consistency, fast expansion, stick to values and giving us joy.  4. The hexagram that Mixue uses the most is number 1 Qian.  This hexagram says ...

As of today (Nov 2025), in terms of store count, Mixue has 45,000 worldwide, exceeding 43,000 of McDonald's. Mixue Snow Ice City is a public-listed company in Hong Kong (not listed in China).  Its financials shows that it is a highly profitable business with 12% net profit margin.  It operates on a franchise model with low franchise fees, and zero percentage of sales.  So, how does Mixue make money? Their primary revenue stream is  selling supplies to their franchisees . A franchisee is contractually obligated to purchase nearly everything, including ingredients (syrups, tea bases, powders), cups, straws, and even equipment, directly from Mixue. This is a brilliant and highly effective model that aligns their success with the franchisee's success, as they profit from the volume of goods sold, not from the store's top-line sales. Therefore, while they don't charge a "percentage of sales," they capture their profit further down the supply chain.  This is the Art...

  L ove Intelligence (LQ) Strategies Used by Mixue “People don’t buy from you because they understand you, they buy because they feel understood.” 1. Empathy with Everyday People Mixue positioned itself as the people’s brand , not a luxury lifestyle. Every store feels welcoming — no pressure, no pretense. Love = Understanding the heart before offering the product. 2. Love in Leadership — Caring for Franchisees Mixue’s franchise model includes: Free training, logistics support, and low entry cost. Shared success mindset — win-win partnership instead of exploitation. This mirrors LQ Principle: Love empowers, not controls. 3. Joyful Brand Energy Their cheerful snowman mascot, song “I Love You You Love Me Mixue Ice Cream and Tea,” and light-hearted marketing spread happiness. Emotionally, Mixue built a community, not just a chain. Love creates loyalty faster than marketing budgets.